Eyes Aflame
by SmexxieP3nguin
Summary: Survival. It's all that had been important to her. Finding a way to save the one person she cared for most in this world. What she didn't count on was finding the five reasons she wanted to survive. Stumbling into their domain, her world blurring into theirs. She can only hope that this won't be the death of her. (Rated M for violence, blood, language, and later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

"How the hell do you always get yourself into this mess?" the lithe girl spat at herself as she darted down a deserted alley, arms clutching a steel case to her chest. She could hear the echoes of their pursuit, the reverberation of their shouts as they gained on her. Casting a glance back over her shoulder, her eyes widened and she just barely stumbled out of the path of a throwing knife. It clattered noisily against a dumpster and she picked up her speed, hanging a left into a maintenance alley, grunting with exertion as she launched herself over an air conditioning unit. Sweat made her wild hair cling to her forehead and she knew that with her hands full, there was little chance of her free running her way up onto a roof and away from the Foot Clan goons hot on her ass. "Shit shit shit shit," she panted, her mind reeling as it fought for an escape, urged on by the fear of what they would do when they caught her. The Foot were never kind to thieves.

Just as something burned across her bicep, making her gasp in pain, she saw her chance. Up ahead covered in filth and the remnants of the rain that plagued the Big Apple during the spring, there was an opening into the sewers. A poison was burning its way into her bloodstream, making her arm throb and start to tingle where the knife had sliced easily through her under armor—more than a valid reason to escape by any means necessary.

Just before her arm went numb, she tossed the steel case into the opening with scary precision, turning and dropping a smoke bomb at her feet as her back slapped the pavement. Her momentum steered her right, and she watched the inverted view of the bomb going off in their faces before she halted through space and landed hard on her ass. Water sloshed up over her body, making her gag as she hobbled to her feet. "Ugh… Great," she hissed, rubbing her rear end with her good hand as she looked for the case. She could hear the clamor of the Foot ninja above her head, and she peeked through the opening with a triumphant smile.

They thought she had scaled the building, not gone under it. Not wanting to linger, she found the case and hefted it to her chest, her shoulder starting to tingle from the paralytic coursing through her arm. "Just when it can't get any worse," she winced as the pain ate at her fortitude. Knocking her useless wrist against her hip, the thick metallic band around it blipped and she called out, "Checking in, got injured and possibly poisoned. Package will take some time to cool off. Delivery may be delayed a few hours. K out."

The message sent and she set her jaw against the pain, starting deep into the sewers, away from the commotion behind her. She had a vague idea of where to go, but she hadn't been down here in years. The numbness spreading down her side and up her neck worried her, but she pressed on, swaying on her feet from exhaustion and exposure to whatever they had dosed her with. "Don't… You… Dare," she hissed as her vision blurred. The grip on the steel case tightened, and she hugged it to her chest tightly, cold sweat dripping from the tip of her nose. "Stay awake…"

Her body didn't listen. Just as she blundered into a crossroads, the rushing water drowning out the sound of her heartbeat, she fell to her knees. Panic flashed into her mind, falling onto her side to keep her face out of the water. She didn't want to drown here—die here—all alone in the sewers of New York City. The weak light filling the tunnel slowly darkened as she checked out, but she could have sworn someone was walking up to her, a big looming shadow. "N-no…"

* * *

><p>Voices filtered in and out of her mind, like distant whispers coursing over her skin.<p>

"Bandages are over…. She's been pois…."

"She won't let go of it…"

"Master, what should we…"

"Of course not kill her, but maybe…"

"Quiet…."

Slowly, as if trying to pull herself from a deep sludge, she started to become more aware of her surroundings. Her nose was filled with the smell of sewage and … pizza? Without opening her eyes, she took inventory on how her body felt. There was no more fire, just a dull tightness on her arm where the skin was sore from her wound; she ached like a truck had hit her, but it was bearable; and most importantly, she could still feel the cold metal against her chest. She hadn't been robbed. Good.

Cracking one eye open, she could hear hushed voices just outside of a curtain hung haphazardly over an archway, saw looming shapes and shadows moving from some light behind it. Alert, she sat straight up, surprised to find herself on a pile of miscellaneous blankets atop a podium of some sort. A table nearby held an open first aid kit, and a glance at her arm confirmed she had been treated. Was this some sort of Foot trick?

Careful not to make a sound, her breath held, she scooted to the edge of the bed and tested her leg strength. Her muscles trembled as she stood, but they held and she slid over to the curtain, peeking through a ragged hole in the dusky red material. All five of the things spun in her direction as she made an involuntary noise of shock. This couldn't be real. She had to be dead. A solid black set of rodent eyes flashed in the light, and the other things took a step closer, their mutant hands moving to their impressive-looking weapons.

Stumbling away from the curtain as they advanced on her position, she clambered over the bed and behind it crouching down as the curtain was noisily yanked to one side. She flinched and let out a short yelp, backing against the wall and letting out a timid, "St-stay back!" The grip on her case seemed more like a shield from them then it had moments before.

The biggest thing let out a short laugh, the red of his mask matching the curtain, and he remarked to the other ones, "Is that supposed to sound threatening?"

Turtles. They were turtles; big, hulking, talking, weapon-wielding turtles. The two smaller ones lingered back near the rodent, one wearing big mechanical looking goggles on top of his purple mask. She struggled to cope with this new discovery, facing five impossibilities of nature just after a really long night. The other big one, the one wearing a blue mask, placed his hand on Red's arm, and stepped closer. The movement made her slide the opposite way, her throat closing in fear. "Raph, stop it. We don't need to scare her any more than she already has been…" Blue turned to her, and she clenched her teeth together, reaching into her back pocket and closing her fingers around a globe. The movement made every one of them tense up, and Blue called out softly, "Now, Miss, please don't do anything stupid."

"She's got some sort of incendiary," Four-eyes piped up, his goggles whirring as he looked at her. Her blue eyes glittered with suspicion and fear as they darted between the things and around the room. She needed to get away, and fast. Orange just looked excited, and he took a place in front of the rat, whispering something to Four-eyes. He got a slap across his shell before they looked at her once more, the tension sizzling between them. "I can't tell exactly what it is; her bracelet is throwing off my readings."

"So why don't we just see for ourselves," Red growled, and took a menacing step forward. Before Blue could stop anything else from happening, she yanked her hand out of her pocket and threw a grenade at them. Red and Blue leaped back, but she was on the ground as the light exploded into the small space, blinding any who looked. As they all reeled, she seized the moment and launched herself over the bed and over their heads. Taking advantage of Red's hunched stature, she crouched on his shell and leaped over them all, rolling easily into a run and taking off for a corridor across the room.

They recovered quickly, but she had a head start, and she was off in a damp, dark tunnel before she heard them coming after her. "Can't I catch a break?"

She wasted precious seconds stumbling around in the poor lighting, and almost tumbled out into open air. There was a good twenty foot drop and a myriad of tunnels leading out and away from the things. Looking back, she shrieked as Red launched towards her, and she tumbled back into the dark, her cry echoing loudly off the walls. Tumbling through the air, she was roughly halted by a steel grip around her ankle, and she found Red easily lifting her small body up out of the air, and the inversion made her dizzy. She felt tears stinging at her eyes as she kicked weakly at him, trying to get away. "L-lemme go! Pl-please!"

Blue, Orange, and Four-eyes stood a ways down the tunnel, weapons drawn. They looked even weirder upside down, almost like bat-turtles hanging from the ceiling. Her gaze was drawn to Red as he hoisted her up and dropped her onto the concrete, making her whimper pitifully in pain. This was it, she was dead. She was gonna get eaten by things in the sewers. "M-make it quick," she whispered, curling up at Red's feet.

"We ain't gonna kill you," he snorted, and she peeked up at him through her spiky bangs.

"You're not? Then what—"

"But the next time you try some funny shit like that again, I might think twice."

A heavy sigh sounded behind her, and she peered back over her shoulder, looking at Blue and the others in confusion. "Raphael, could you not be a complete raging ass for five minutes, please? You're the reason she got so spooked in the first place." He had a fancy name for a turtle… It sounded really familiar, but she kept quiet as she looked between them.

"Up yours, Leo. She flash banged us."

"That's what she said," and just like that, everyone was looking back at Orange's wide, pleased grin. Raphael groaned inwardly and Blue—Leo put his face in his palm. All Four-eyes did was smirk, and she couldn't help but choke down a giggle. "What? Raph walked right into that one."

"Mikey, when we need your opinion, we'll ask, okay?" Raphael was a grump. And Orange's real name was Mike? Why did they sound familiar? And then it hit her.

"Holy fucking shit," she gasped, and she sat up straight, fear being replaced with an odd mix of excitement and anticipation. "Y-you're… You're them!"

They all looked at her like she had grown a second head, and she wobbled to her feet, leaning against the curved wall for support. A weak smile parted her lips, and she pointed up at blue. "Leonardo." Red. "Raphael." Orange. "Michelangelo." Four-eyes. "And that makes you Donatello… I thought you were just a myth, some piece of outdated information on the internet. Holy cow…"

Sadly, her knowledge seemed to only make them more on edge. They looked confused, and almost afraid. Donatello was tapping away on a keypad on his wrist, scowling.

"It would seem we have some things to discuss with our guest, my sons."

The raspy voice made them all jump, and her head swiveled to the opening of the tunnel, where the Rat was waiting patiently. His hands rested on a withered cane, and the beard showed great signs of age in its whiteness. He seemed much less scary to her now then he had a moment ago.

"Come, child, tell us your story."

He gestured with his head and she felt compelled by the kindness in his voice to do as he asked. She stepped away from the wall and her tired legs buckled, but a cool hand on her arm kept her from falling. Raphael looked down at her with eyes narrowed in suspicion, but his hand didn't hurt like she thought it would have. He scoffed at her and let her go, brushing past her roughly as he headed out of the tunnel. She shuffled forward quietly, her head bowed in embarrassment. Filing out behind the rat—Splinter, she remembered—she felt Leonardo come up at her side, his hand resting under her elbow to guide her through the dark tunnel.

"Thanks," she mumbled, and he shrugged, easily holding her up when she stumbled over the debris that littered the ground. These guys made her feel smaller than she already was, weaker in comparison to their impressive size and stature.

"Don't mention it."


	2. Chapter 2

Seated all around a small square table, she rested on her haunches, her fingers fidgeting along the edge of her case as she glanced between the turtles and their Master. Their stares unnerved her, especially Raphael's, so she focused on her murky reflection on the top of the case.

"What is your name, girl?" Splinter's voice was soft, coaxing. It was soothing in a weird sort of way.

"Kaiya. I don't really have a last name, just Kaiya," she replied, feeling tired and overwhelmed. She had found them, the original reason she had started chasing the Foot halfway across the world. She could laugh, if she had any energy left in her. Her voice echoed her weariness, and it made her feel weak all over again.

"And how did you come to be involved with the Foot Clan?"

Her head shot up and she narrowed her eyes in confusion at Splinter, briefly entertaining the idea he was a mind reader. "How did you—"

"We tend to keep tabs on the few members who remain, plus you tripped my sensors when you escaped them today. That's how we knew where to find you," Donatello explained, and she nodded. That made perfect sense. These guys were on Foot's shit list, or so she had read. "O-oh, sorry, Sensei."

"It's alright, my son. Now, Kaiya," she met his black gaze, and felt a lump rise in her throat as if she were being scolded. "Why were they after you? Are you working for them?"

"Ah… Y-yeah," she confessed, gripping the case until her fingers hurt, wincing as the turtles tensed up all around her, and Raphael was right next to her. He seemed to radiate unease and anger. "Sorta… But not in the traditional sense."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Leonardo didn't sound too happy about this information, and the rigidity of his shoulders further proved that point. "You either are or you aren't. How can there be anything else."

"I'm a rat, uh, no offense, uhm, Mr. Splinter," she chuckled nervously, glancing sheepishly up at him, trying and failing to gauge his reactions. He was much more guarded than the turtles, and she attributed that to his age and wisdom behind those years. "But I was there only to find information, and pose as a courier for them. It was that or take my chances going against Shredder. They found me stealing some of their weapons and shipping them to a disposal facility South of Jersey about a year and a half ago. They gave me a choice, work for them or die at the hands of their Master. I'm a survivor, so I chose work."

The silence that followed her words could be cut with a knife it was so thick. Glancing sideways at Michelangelo and Raphael, she felt the blood drain from her face as they glared at her. Man, if looks could kill, she'd be double dead. Leonardo's eyes were on the table, and Donatello kept eyeing her case curiously. Splinter broke the silence.

"As I'm sure you are aware, we are no friends of the Foot Clan. You understand our unease at this revelation, don't you?"

"Yes," she squeaked, ducking her head as the rat continued.

"Don't be afraid, child. I sense no ill will in you, at least, not towards this family… You said you were a rat, what exactly does this mean?"

Taking a deep breath to steady her voice, she replied cooly, "I am an informant for The Winged Flame."

Donatello let out a sharp gasp, drawing the gaze of the others in the room. He seemed to flush and he cleared his throat before explaining, much to Kaiya's relief. "Er, The Winged Flame was a super underground organization—and I mean deeper than deep underground—mostly made up of hackers and human rights activists committed to the freedom of information to the public and the welfare of the people some of that information is meant to harm. Most of them have been imprisoned or killed by various governments around the world, or like the Foot Clan—were silenced for their actions. No one's heard from them in—"

"Almost seven years," Kaiya finished, not lifting her eyes from the case, a painful memory thick in her voice. "It's been tough, keeping the few of us that remain anonymous and alive. There's only a handful left now… Myself and a few others. We've been in hiding, worming our way through the crime network and trying to save people where we can. There's only two of us left stateside. The recent Foot activity and the up rise of Sacks industries brought us out of hiding."

Raphael got up abruptly and started pacing, obviously agitated. "I don't like this. It sounds ten kinds of wrong. We've got a Foot member at our table, and you all just wanna sit around and—what? Talk? Have a sleepover? Why don't we just get rid of her and see what's in th—"

"Sit down, Raphael," the ferocity in Splinter's voice made Kaiya flinch, and Raphael did much the same. He stood defiantly for a few more moments, before grumbling and plopping back down beside the human. Nervous at his words, she scooted a little further away from him… Just in case. "Kaiya, you may continue."

"Do I have your word I won't be killed? Big Red here isn't exactly making me feel at home," she gulped loudly after she spoke, not daring to look at "Big Red" next to her. "I risked my life to get here, and it's not my plan to die just yet."

Mikey seemed bored, and he leaned forward and propped his chin in his palm, rolling his eyes. "Whooah, so dramatic. Just so you know I don't kill cute girls."

"Mikey," Leonardo warned, and Kaiya ducked her head to hide her slight smile, her cheeks tinting.

"You have our word, Kaiya. Your very name means forgiveness, so it stands to reason that there can be some allowed here. My sons will not harm you," he cast a particularly hard glance at Raphael. "Nor shall I."

"I think it's really freaking cool that I'm in the same room as a Flamer. I mean, I used to read the forums all the time when I was a –" Donatello quieted at the sour look he got from Raphael, and he shrugged. "What? Don't judge me."

Splinter sighed and looked back at Kaiya, curling his fingers around one another. "If we can continue, I'd like to know what you did to get poisoned. I gather you... "acquired" something of theirs?"

"That's a pretty word for it. I really just yanked it out from under their feet. They can't stand now. They have nothing left, now with Sacks in prison and Shredder in the dirt. This was their last weapon," her voice softened, and she ran her fingers across the smooth metal casing. "They've lost."

"What's in the box?" Leonardo leaned over the table to try and get a better look at it, and Kaiya reluctantly placed it on the table. It had no visible seams, no lock, nothing to indicate it could open. It just looked like a metal block. "Some kind of weapon?"

Mikey leaned closer too, and so did Donatello, curiosity getting the better of them. Even Raphael seemed interested in what it contained, though he didn't so obviously show it.

"Not exactly… " shifting on her aching legs, she rested on her hip, unconsciously leaning closer to Raphael. "They called it Miracure. I call it evolution in a bottle. It's medicine, of a sort. It can cure any disease; reverse any ailment or broken bone. It can even extend the life of those who normally have none left to live—or so they think. They hadn't started on trials yet, and I've yet to open it. I kinda had a hard time getting it out of HQ, so my curiosity had to wait."

"Perhaps now would be an opportune time to see what our mutual enemy had in store for the world," Splinter said, casting a hard look at Kaiya. His meaning was clear: this wasn't a request. Biting her lip, she avoided the expectant gazes and shook her head slightly.

"I can't," she breathed, pulling the case back into her lap. "At least not here."

"And why the hell not? We asked nicely," Raphael spoke directly to her, his voice thick with irritation.

"I agree," Leonardo piped up, though not as harshly as his brother. "We deserve to know what's in there. My brothers and I have worked our shells off bringing the Clan down, and we want answers."

"Totally," Mikey agreed, looking at Donatello for agreement, but he simply just regarded them all quietly.

"It's not that I _won't_, actually it's the opposite. I want more than anything to open this baby up. But just prying it open without knowing if there is a failsafe or some kind of defense in here would be a rookie move," she explained hastily, earning a nod from Donatello and Splinter.

"This makes sense. The Foot are not just some street gang, they have proven to be quite resilient in the past." Kaiya thanked any god who would listen for Splinter's cool demeanor.

"If I can get back to my place… I can run my diagnostics on it and make sure its safe before I open it. And then _we_ can have our answers."

"No offense or anything, Kaiya, but we don't even know if we can trust you yet," Leo said, reaching out and patting her on the uninjured shoulder. Even in just a small pat, she could feel his strength. "We can't just let you go home and hope that you don't let the Foot or the Flame know of our location or of your findings."

"For once, I agree with him," Raphael snorted, crossing his arms and regarding his brother with a challenging look. Kaiya wondered if they got along all that well.

"My mind is blown," Donatello laughed, Mikey grinning playfully at his older brothers. "Raph and Leo actually agreeing on something? This girl deserves a medal."

"Can we compromise?" Kaiya raised her head hopefully, sitting up on her knees and regarding Splinter with wide eyes. "I can patch Donatello into my server and he can monitor my movements and my progress on opening this thing."

"That sounds reasonable…" Splinter absently stroked his beard as he mulled over the idea. His dark eyes glittered with an idea and he smiled—a weird look on a giant talking rat. "Donatello will do what's necessary, and Michelangelo will stay here as protection just in case something goes wrong. Leonardo and Raphael can escort you to your home and wait as you open the box. This is fair."

Kaiya's face fell at the idea of Big angry being in her personal home. But there was no contest in Splinter's voice. The decision had been made. And all the brothers seemed to agree, especially Raphael—he seemed adamant in his distrust in her. Not that she could blame him. "I can agree to that."

"Where do you live, kid?" Raphael sounded as gruff as ever, but at least he wasn't looking at her like he wanted to rip her bangs off.

"Kid?" Kaiya scoffed, setting the case on the table long enough for her to wobble to her feet. She badly needed rest, and food. "I'm at least like three years older than you, Red. And I live in the old Roosevelt station. We're practically neighbors."

"I thought Roosevelt had a cave in like six years ago?" Donatello didn't like knowing less than anyone else in the room it seemed.

"That's what I fabricated. To the public, it was a tragic loss of history, and the monument they built at the entrance was touching, but no. It's one of the few places I can l be where no one could find me… well, besides you guys now."

"I do hope this goes well, but for now, I will retire for the evening, Kaiya. It was a pleasure to meet you," Splinter rose slowly to his feet, Mikey close by in case he needed assistance. Kaiya watched secretly as the brothers helped their Master around, their love for him touching her. She had no idea of the bond between them, but they were a family, that was plain to see. She was an outsider. She shouldn't have felt the burn of envy in her throat, but she did as she had never really known the feelings they all shared. They were wonders all in all, and she knew they would keep surprising her. Kaiya moved over to Splinter before he left the room, much to the unease of the turtles.

"I want to thank you for your kindness, Master Splinter," she said softly, bowing deeply before him. She trembled with the effort of keeping her muscles locked in that position, but she needed to express the deepest gratitude to him for letting her live and even giving her the gift of his trust. No one had really done that before. "It takes a great soul to do what you have done for me. _Arigato_."

Splinter chuckled and she felt his wrinkled paw rest on her shoulder, guiding her out of her bow. She cast a glance at the turtles, shocked to find them looking at her with a different expression—respect. "I can sense great good in you, my friend. There is no need to humble yourself to an old man like me. However, I appreciate your gratitude. Until we meet again, Kaiya."

Embarrassing tears stung at her eyes as she watched Mikey lead him away, and she brushed at her cheeks before anyone could see them travel. Leonardo left the room with Donatello and left her under the watchful eye of Raphael, who leaned back against the archway that led into their lair. Arms crossed, a toothpick between his lips, he regarded her with an almost bored look. She wondered if he had seen how moved she was by Splinter's compassion. Kaiya stepped closer to him and ducked her head, rubbing at the shaved hair on the back of her head.

"I'm sorry about the flash bang. I didn't know if you guys were gonna eat me or kill me or what," she mumbled sheepishly, shifting on her aching feet before him. He snorted and shrugged, looking over his shoulder as his brothers moved around the large atrium.

"We don't eat people," he said simply, and she wondered if that was his acceptance of her apology.

"Am I allowed to look around, or am I confined to your hip?" trying to smile at him to lighten the mood, she was greeted by an indifferent stare. So much for that.

"Do what you want, but I'll be watching you, so don't get any funny ideas," his voice always sounded like he was a breath away from getting angry, and she sighed quietly. Kaiya moved past him and into the atrium, looking around curiously. Donatello had a huge computer set up, with a wall of monitors that immediately drew her attention. Walking over, eyes wide in awe at his huge network, she whistled in appreciation. The turtle was hunched over his keyboard busily clacking away at the keys, and she marveled at their dexterous movements despite being large.

"This is some set up you have here. I would give my left arm for this kind of coverage," she mused, eyeing a monitor that showed a street view of where she had been the night before. It was deserted, not a Foot member in sight. Donatello smiled and waved at the air absently; Kaiya could swear he was blushing.

"It took me some time to get it set up, but thanks." He was busy setting up in preparation for a server connection; that much she could tell from the monitor directly in front of his face. Leonardo came over; a huge duffel bag slung over his shoulder with what she guessed was their provisions for their stay with her. He tossed another bag over at Raph, who had snuck up behind her while she was distracted. He had a bad habit of unnerving her.

"Donnie here likes to think he's the brain of the operation, but we all have our own talents. His is extreme nerd-ism," Leonardo teased him, and earned an eye roll. Donatello moved to a different keyboard and ignored the jibes, clacking away.

"Well, most of the world is run on technology, so there's nothing wrong with having a talent for it," Kaiya shrugged, hugging her case as she watched the screens. Donatello halted his hands and looked at her appraisingly, seemingly glad someone understood.

"Technology can't do shit against a good old fashioned can of whoop ass," Raph slung his bag, heading over towards a dark tunnel. "Enough with the tech talk, are we doing this or not?"

"The gentleman as always, Raph," Leo muttered, and Kaiya giggled, putting a hand over her mouth. The three turtles looked at her for a second, surprised by the sound. The girl blushed and moved over beside Donatello.

"I can give you my server address and the password for the back door, but you won't have access until I'm at my terminal on the other end," she set the case down on the desk and her fingers hovered over the keys hesitantly. "May I?"

"Sure," Donnie said in an almost distracted manner, and earned a weird look from his brothers. Leonardo and Raphael both lingered closer to watch what she was doing.

Kaiya cracked her knuckles and went to work, her slender fingers moving quickly over the keys, her dirty face illuminated by the screens before her as she watched the binary to her server scroll by. "Here we go… Don't you dare lock me—that's better." She absently muttered to the computer as she worked, pulling her lip through her teeth to bite it in concentration. "Almost done."

The turtles watched her in interest, and Donatello was grinning like an idiot caught in headlights. When Kaiya was done, she gave a triumphant, "Hah! There we go, all set up. Now we just get to my end, and I'll finish setting it up there. You won't be able to track my I.P. though, I don't give that to anyone since it's directly linked to me at all times." She held up her wrist and indicated the metal band around it, and walked away from the console.

Case in hand she gave a little wave to Donatello, who waved back in slow motion. He sure seemed shocked about something. Kaiya looked up at Raphael and Leonardo expectantly, and they snapped out of whatever they were in. "If you guys could lead me out to the nearest abandoned subway line, I can show you the way from there."

"Alright," Leonardo said, turning and heading down the tunnel to the left. He disappeared into the darkness, and the sight made Kaiya dig through her pockets. A rough hand yanked her arm up and she yelped in pain, Raphael's big hand closing over her bandage.

"Achk!"

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"F-flashlight—geez, c-can you let me go?!"

Donatello had jumped up and moved closer, reaching out and resting his hand on Raph's shell. "Hey man, you're hurting her."

"The last time she went for those pockets, we ended up blind," he hissed, his grip tightening. Kaiya's knees went weak from pain and she panted quietly, tears stinging at her eyes. "I ain't taking that chance again."

"C'mon Raph—"

"L-left thigh p-pocket," she stammered, struggling to not collapse under the hold he had on her. Donatello glared at Raphael and edged forward, sliding his fingers into the pocket she had indicated on her cargo pants. He pulled out a small headlamp, and dangled it in front of Raph's face.

"See? Let her go, Raph."

Staring at the lamp in surprise, he instantly let her go, and she cradled her arm to her chest, stepping away from the angry turtle. She snatched the lamp from Donatello and stalked into the tunnel after Leonardo, who had moved ahead to take point. He looked back as she haltingly fixed the straps to her head and took notice of her expression.

"What's the matter?"

"Forget it, just lead the way," she muttered, flipping the light on and hugging her bad arm between her case and her chest. She could feel fresh blood oozing through her bandage, and by the sudden look of anger on Leo's face she knew he could see it. Hell, maybe even smell it. "Please, let's get this over with."

"This way," he said through his teeth, his eyes cut at the brother coming up behind him. Kaiya made sure to wipe her cheeks before looking back at Raph, who looked everywhere but at her. She couldn't blame him, he was right about what she had done. But that didn't mean he had to be so… Raph.


	3. Chapter 3

The way to her home was long and harder than she would have wanted. It had been almost a day and a half since she had eaten or slept, and her body was definitely feeling human. Leo and Raph didn't seem to mind the slow pace, and on more than one occasion they had helped her up when she had stumbled. Kaiya felt very weak, and very tired. The freshly bloodied wound didn't help anything either. She was limping before long, and when they finally reached the old subway line that led directly to her secluded little hideaway, she collapsed against the abandoned lines, feeling light headed and spent.

"Shit… I'm sorry, just give me a minute, we're almost there," she gasped, clawing at the tall ledge to try and yank herself back to her feet. Both of the turtles headed for her, but Raph reached her first, bending and sliding his powerful hands around her waist and hoisting her easily onto his shoulders. Kaiya squeaked and grabbed at his shell for balance. "Y-you don't have to—"

"You said we're almost there right? Just point me in the direction," he grumbled, making sure she was stable before heading down the way she pointed. With her legs draped down his chest and his masked head between her thighs, she was blushing wildly. Leo's jaw practically dropped to his chest at Raph's actions, but shook his head and closed his mouth before he said a word, probably silenced by the seething look Raph gave him daring him to. "You barely weigh anything anyway…"

"Th-thanks, Red," she mumbled, shifting just a bit so his shell wasn't biting into her rear so much. One of his hands wrapped around her calf, and briefly she paled, but when she realized he was only steadying her, she relaxed. "I owe you one."

"Whatever."

"Hey, Kaiya," Leo called from up ahead aways, and she could see the faint light of her subway station just around a bend. "I'm guessing these are your security cameras?"

"Yeah, it's just around the turn, but wait at the corner. You won't want to go just yet."

Raphael tried to look up at her, but she nearly fell over in the motion, so he kept his eyes forward. They reached Leo's side in no time, and Kaiya held up her wristband, into the pool of light. An alarm blared, making the turtles wince and stand on guard. Clearing her throat, she called out in a clear voice, "_Tadaima, Isha-san_!"

The alarms stopped and a small mechanical voice chirped, "Welcome back, Kaiya-hime."

The lights flashed on and the stairway up onto the platform illuminated, and the turtles relaxed as they made their way up the steps. Leonardo went to take a look around the perimeter, even though Kaiya said he wouldn't have to.

Raphael stepped up onto the marbled floor, looking around her "living room" curiously. She had gotten two couches down here some time ago—not an easy task, mind you—along with your basic TV set. She had built most of her furniture out of remnants left behind down here or shipping crates no one would miss. She loved her home, it was cozy to her, and there was no other place in the world like it. Down the platform near where the stairs used to be was her own computer terminal, and there were a few tables with miscellaneous lab equipment strewn about it. Books piled up nearly as tall as the tables, she tended to collect whatever caught her interest, and she would use what she found if she could. There was even a table and rack for weapons, mostly small caliber handguns, but a few swords, kama, and throwing knives hung there as well.

"Y-you can put me down now, I'm sure I can manage a few yards more," she looked down at the top of his head, handing the case down for him to hold. Instead, he grabbed it and set it on her couch before reaching up and grabbing her waist once more. Her smaller hands gripped his wrists as she was lowered to the ground, and she was glad to have solid earth beneath her feet once more. "Thanks…" she didn't dare look over her shoulder at him, but she was glad his cool touch was gentle this time. Stepping out of his grasp, she snatched up the case and hurried over to her terminal. Leo came back in time to see her, red-faced and flustered as she started up her system.

"What did you do to her this time, Raph? She looks terrified."

Kaiya flinched, busying herself with letting Donnie into her system so he could access the cameras. The only places not on camera were the bathroom and her makeshift bedroom, located in the only abandoned subway car left in the station, sitting across the tracks in the darkness. She had gutted it ages ago and made herself a safe room to sleep.

"What's that supposed to mean? I just put her down. I didn't even say anything."

"Well, you obviously did something to upset her, I mean earlier you did something too, didn't you? I could smell the blood Raph, and I know Donnie wouldn't have done it."

"That was an accident, Leo."

"Right, just like all the other times you –"

Kaiya drowned their arguing out long enough for Donnie's face to pop up on the screen. "Oh, hey, Kaiya. I can see that Raph and Leo have made themselves right at home. I have access to your security cameras… But I can't see anything else?"

"Yeah… I said you can monitor my progress, but I'm not just handing you my home, Donnie. Sorry," she chuckled, running a hand through her hair and looking back at the two brothers, who were in each other's faces. Looking back at the screen, she jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "Should I be worried about these two? It sounds pretty serious."

"Nah, they do that all the time. Well… If they start fighting, just try and get their attention. It should be okay… Maybe?" He gave a shrug, and Kaiya groaned quietly. Get the attention of two large, hormone raging turtles? Why are men such babies?

"Well, anyway," she sighed heavily, easing herself into her computer chair for a moment, wincing as her muscles screamed. "I'm going to start my security program and diagnostics on this case, but I don't really know how long it'll take. I'll check back with you later if there's any progress."

"Sounds good, me and Mikey will keep an eye on thing one and thing two from here. If they don't shut up soon, I'll come running."

"Thanks, Donatello," she smiled at him, thankful he was being so friendly to her. She flipped the monitor off and swiveled around in her chair, staring at the two shouting turtles. Shaking her head, she got up and grabbed the case, moving over to an empty table and setting it in the middle. She unclipped her wristband and laid it flat along the edge; tapping a few buttons and making it whir to life. "Isha-san, I've got a tough one for you. Start a scan on the contents and see if we've got any booby traps in there. When you're done with that, see about how to open it."

The same mechanical voice from earlier replied, "Oh? Is that all?"

"Enough sass from you, missy. Get to work."

"Hai."

Kaiya stood from the table and stretched, wincing as her arm throbbed and her body shrieked at her for rest. The sharp sound of Leo's voice caught her attention, and she turned in time to see him climbing up onto the platform and stalking towards Raphael. "Oh shit."

Spurred forward, she darted between them and held up her hands, shouting, "WHOAH, WHOAH, WHOA! HOLD ONTO YOUR SHELLS!" They looked down at her, shocked she had gotten so loud. She sighed and dropped her hands, looking from one brother to another. "I have had a reaaaally long day and am not in the kind of mood where I want two giant talking turtles destroying my home. If you guys could put your dicks away long enough to care, I've actually done what was asked of me and am trying to find a way to open that box. Now, do me the kindest favor and CALM THE FUCK DOWN. I would be much obliged."

Their expressions were priceless, eyes wide and mouths agape as she finished her little tirade, assessing her posture, hands on her hips like she was talking to two small children. Huffing, Kaiya turned and stalked towards the kitchen, not sparing a glance at them. "I'm making myself something to eat. Do either of you want anything?"

"Uh… Yeah, sure," Leo stammered, sounding flustered and embarrassed.

"Y-yeah…"

Seven sandwiches later, she came out with a plate stacked with them and three cans of soda, happy to find them sitting on her couch and looking much calmer than they had moments earlier. She set the tray of food on the table and plopped between them, handing them each a can of soda.

They took the sodas with mumbles of thanks and she rolled her eyes, grabbing the remote and clicking through the stations as she guzzled half her soda immediately. Setting her can down and picking up a sandwich, she left the TV on a basketball game and dug in. "I don't know how much you guys eat," she said between bites, "So you each get three. Fridge is open after that if you're still hungry."

Leo reached forward and grabbed a sandwich while Raph sipped on his soda, both of them watching her demolish her sandwich. When she caught Raphael's gaze she looked surprised, swallowing before she mumbled, "What? I'm hungry."

Leo laughed and started in on his sandwiches as Raph's cheeks darkened and he looked away. Kaiya watched a bit of the game as she finished eating, draining off her soda in one long drink. She crumpled the aluminum can and tossed it at a far trash can, watching happily as it went right in.

"So I guess you like basketball?" Leo broke the awkward silence as he finished his first sandwich and started on another. He seemed to trust her enough to eat her food, at least. Kaiya shrugged.

"It's more fun to play, but I can watch it when I'm bored. I never played on a team cause of my size, but when I was a kid I used to play with a few of the other kids in my neighborhood," she reclined against the couch cushions, taking a moment to catch her breath. She felt much better with food in her gut.

"You from New York?" Raph asked, tipping the soda can to his lips for a drink. Kaiya kept her eyes on the screen and leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees. Hesitant to share, she sighed and rose from the couch.

"Nope," she said nothing more as she went over to check on Isha's diagnostics. She could feel their eyes following her as she went.

The box was going nowhere fast, and she felt grimy and worn down. Leo said something quietly to Raph as they watched the game, and she felt relieved when Red finally grabbed a sandwich and started eating. She walked over to the subway car and grabbed a change of clothes, glad for the brief privacy of the blacked out windows and familiar smells of her room. For a few moments, she gazed at the huge bed she had built in the back of the car with longing, half tempted to crash. A long look at her dirty clothes and even dirtier bandage told her she couldn't do that just yet, so she left her room before she gave into her urges. She hobbled past the living area and towards a room beyond the kitchen, the ache in her muscles making her start to stiffen up.

"Make yourselves at home, guys. I'm in dire need of feeling human again, so I'm locking myself in the bathroom. Feel free to change the channel if you like."

"Thank you for the meal, Kaiya," Leo called out before she went into the dark room.

She heard the quiet thanks from Raphael seconds before she shut the door and clicked the deadbolt.


End file.
